Food dispensing machines have long been known. They range from coin operated devices, such as bubble gum machines, to simple open topped bins such as are commonly found in bulk food stores. There are several long standing problems related to use of food dispensing machines with sticky foods, such as gelatinous candies. The well-known coin operated metal candy dispensers have a tendency to mutilate gelatinous candies, and also to be prone to accretions of sticky, sugary candy material within the metal parts of the mechanism, making them prone to jamming or failure. These metal parts may be difficult to disassemble and clean.
Bulk food bins, commonly seen in stores, are often unhygienic. Commonly a scoop is provided such that customers may remove or lift the lid of the bulk food bin and scoop out such quantity of material as they desire. The handling of food products in this way makes bulk foods a ready ground for the spread of disease. The containers themselves may not be cleaned very frequently.
Known bulk food bins and dispensers may be suitable for dispensing dry goods. It is more difficult to deal with sticky products such as gumdrops or artificially flavoured gelatin shapes. Over time gelatinous candies tend to stick to the dispensers and harden.
Attempts have been made to address one or more of these problems. For example U.S. Pat. No. 4,318,577 shows bins for displaying such things as buns with a sneeze shield and a lower cleaning tray. U.S. Pat. No. 5,105,991 to Johnson shows a relatively hygienic system incorporating a rake with an externally accessible handle. U.S. Pat. No. 4,718,578 to Radek et al., shows another such rake system, as does U.S. Pat. No. 4,592,494 to Ellis et al. U.S. Pat. No. 4,802,609 to Morse et al. shows yet another variation, in which an auger is used to draw material out of a hopper or receptacle.
There remains a need for a simple, bulk food dispenser that is easily cleaned, that is not easily prone to contamination, has flexible geometry to avoid or reduce damage to the particulate material being dispensed, and that is suited to dispensing sticky materials.